The disclosure relates generally to optical fibers and fiber optic cables, and more particularly to a fiber management frame having a modular tray holder, which may be used in managing fibers in a fiber optic closure, and related devices, systems, and methods.
Fiber optic networks typically include interconnection closures at various splice locations throughout the fiber optic networks. Interconnection closures include splice closures, patch closures, and splitter closures. Splice closures commonly house splices connecting the optical fibers of one or more distribution cables to respective optical fibers of a fiber optic feeder cable. By housing the splices, a splice closure protects the spliced end portions of the optical fibers from environmental degradation, strain, and other deleterious forces, thereby increasing the reliability and quality of the splices.
A typical butt-type splice closure includes a canister open at one end and a single end cap positioned within the open end of the canister housing. Each of the fiber optic cables associated with the butt-type splice closure extends through the single end cap. Conventional closures of the above-described types generally include a frame that is connected to the end cap(s) and carries a number of fiber optic splice trays disposed in a stacked arrangement within the canister housing.
In this regard, FIG. 1A illustrates an isometric view of a conventional optical fiber interconnection closure 10. The closure 10 includes a canister housing 12 defining an internal cavity 14 and an opening 16 to the internal cavity 14. The canister housing 12 in FIG. 1A has a cylindrical shape. The opening 16 is positioned at a front end 18 of the canister housing 12, and an opposite rear end 20 of the canister housing 12 is closed. The canister housing 12 extends in a longitudinal direction extending between the front and rear ends 18, 20. A wall of the canister housing 12 extends around and defines a housing axis A1 extending between the front and rear ends 18, 20. The internal cavity 14 receives and the canister housing 12 carries a butt-type support assembly 22. The support assembly 22 holds fiber optic cables 24. Buffer tubes 26 containing optical fibers (not shown) extend from end portions of the fiber optic cables 24. The support assembly 22 supports the buffer tubes 26 and splices (not shown) that connect the optical fibers.
The support assembly 22 includes an end cap 28 and a butt-type support frame 30 connected to and extending rearward from the end cap 28. FIG. 1B also illustrates a detailed isometric view of support frame 30 of FIG. 1A. The support assembly 22 is movable between an enclosed configuration and an unenclosed configuration. The end cap 28 is positioned in the opening 16 of the canister housing 12 during the enclosed configuration. The support frame 30 and the components carried thereby are positioned within the internal cavity 14 of the canister housing 12 during the enclosed configuration. In contrast, the end cap 28 is removed from the opening 16 to provide the unenclosed configuration. Likewise, the support frame 30 and the components carried thereby, such as splice trays 32, are removed from the internal cavity 14 during the unenclosed configuration. The splice trays 32 are configured to receive bolts 34 therethrough. In this manner, the splice trays 32 and other compatible trays may be secured to the support frame 30 by the bolts 34 and wing nuts 36.
The support frame 30 is also removably mounted to the end cap 28 in a cantilever-like fashion. FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate that the support frame 30 has a pair of cantilevered legs 38. Each pair of cantilevered legs 38 has an aperture 40 therethrough for being secured to the end cap 28 via a machine screw 42.
As can be seen from FIGS. 1A and 1B, the enclosed configuration of the end cap 28 requires all of the above described components to be tightly packed into the volume of the canister housing 12. In addition, it is also desirable in the unenclosed configuration to have convenient access to a variety of different fiber optic cables 24, buffer tubes 26, optical fibers, groups of optical fibers, splice trays 32, and/or other trays.
No admission is made that any reference cited herein constitutes prior art. Applicant reserves the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of any cited documents.